A Shine of Rainbows, also known as Tomás and the Rainbows, is a 2009 Irish-Canadian family drama film, directed and co-written by Vic Sarin as an adaptation of the novel A Shine of Rainbows by Lillian Beckwith. Plot During the 1960s, young orphan Tomás (John Bell) is harassed and ridiculed for his small size, timidity and stuttering by the other children in his orphanage. Just after freeing a pigeon from his classroom, he is called to the headmasters' office to be greeted by Maire (Connie Nielsen), who has adopted him, and takes him back to her island home, where Tomás is greeted somewhat coldly by her husband, Alec (Aidan Quinn), a fisherman, who had expected someone older and perhaps more confident, and Tomás is intimidated by Alec. Tomás makes friends with Nancy (Tara Alice Scully) and is greeted tepidly by Seamus (Jack Gleeson). They take him to their 'secret' cave, inhabited by bats. There, Tomás runs away, scared, after which his two friends chase after him and console him. Tomás is introduced to his new school and, unlike at his previous school, here he is generally accepted by the pupils. As Maire's influence on him begins to shine through, he starts to gain in confidence and become drawn to wildlife. Soon thereafter, Alec and Tomás get a little closer, and when Maire has to go to the mainland for some shopping, Alec and Tomás go fishing. Together they find a young seal, apparently abandoned, on the beach. Christened 'Smudge' by Tomás, he wants to care for it and feeds it regularly for the next many days. For Tomás' birthday, the couple give him a new fishing rod & reel. Maire suggests that the two guys go fishing, Alec to teach Tomás how to use the tackle, and the plan is set. The next morning, they head out, but Alec, distracted with helping some friends move a stuck boat, tells Tomás, "I won't be long, wait down there." Tomás waits around nearly all day for him to show up, but Alec, after helping, then instead goes to the pub with the friends. Maire finds Tomás and takes him out in the boat herself. Maire discloses she was an orphan too, never adopted out, and that is why she picked Tomás, loving and 'knowing' him, due to her own experiences. Maire teaches Tomás to picture his grandmother in his mind and he